Entrusted with God's Words

"Entrusted with the very words of God." I was trying to read through Romans 3 yesterday and I did not get past the end of verse two. One reason these words so touched my heart is that I am in the midst of helping a friend raise prayer support for a 3 week StoryTogether training with the Karamojong, an Unreached People in Uganda. The Bible is available in their language, but few can read and those who can read do not always understand what they are reading or have anyone around to help them. During the project, Believers among this people will be trained to share God's Word in stories, drama and music so that the Karamojong can understand and accept our Father's love and salvation.

I had been praying for this project as I worked, but after reading Romans 3:2 I found myself thanking God in a new way for those involved in this training and their accepting the responsibility of being entrusted with His Words. I also found myself challenged to thank God anew for His Words and to recommit to my responsibility to value and share His Words.

All Need Our Good News

A view Jack and I passed yesterday as we traveled via the new Southern By-pass into the city centre which is a great illustration of the contrasts faced daily by missionaries - a view of Kibera slums where some say the average income for residents is less than $1 per day, bordered by just a few of the high-rise buildings housing banks and businesses where millions of dollars are handled daily! Income is just one of many differences affecting those who live and work in this view as peoples in both situations come from not just Kenya and her variety of People Groups, but from Africa and around our world, and they include both refugees and those employed as business executives or representatives of other countries, including a few where our Father’s stories cannot be freely shared. One thing is the same - the people with the highest paid jobs in the massive buildings and the residents of Kibera all need to hear our Good News, BUT how will they hear it in a way that captures their hearts?

Sorrow and Anguish

Now that I’ve got your attention with this view captured last week while trying out a new road in our new location, I will ask you a question which I had to ask myself this morning after reading Paul’s words in Romans 9:2.  How often do “I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart” for a person or a people group in need of our Father’s love and salvation? 

Tossed Back and Forth

During devotions yesterday morning, I heard a clatter and looked up to see a monkey jumping from one tree to another and then another as a limb in the second tree hit the ground!  For the next two hours (off and on, I did get some work done between spottings), I enjoyed watching this critter and two friends romp about our yard!

Later in the day, I caught a view of birds also jumping around, but not purposely, or least I don’t think they were! In just a few moments several small sunbirds landed on flower stems which resulted in bouncy rides as the weak stems “tossed back and forth” (Ephesians 4:14).  Then I realized – the birds never showed any signs of fear, but simply held on until things calmed down, just as the monkeys did when they jumped among the trees!  

I don’t know how our Father finds times to send us ‘teaching moments’, but I knew I was in the midst of one! He reminded me that He wants me filled with hope, joy and peace, not just a bit, but in overflowing quantities (Romans 15:13). I also remembered Romans 8:24-15 and another needed reminder – the need for trusting Him as I serve Him and being patient during the times when hope, joy and peace seem to be hard to claim!
 (For more BITS OF OUR HEARTS, visit  https://www.facebook.com/bitsofourhearts.)

Compelled to Share

As Jack left for his office this morning, I spotted an amazing ‘twinkly lights’ display as tiny dew drops glistened on every nook and cranny of every leaf and petal of this rose bush! My 1st thought: Run and grab my camera as I HAD to share this breathtaking view! My next thought: How different our world would be if every Believer (including me) was this compelled to share what “we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20) as we serve our Father and view His awesomeness!

IF God Is Really...

Spotting this beauty during devotions this morning, Psalm 27:4 became alive and active. I felt God’s presence and knew I was gazing “on the beauty of the LORD.” Then I remembered a note I received last year in response to a photo sharing my thanksgiving for answered prayer. I was asked, “If God is really the God of all, why…” followed by a list of hurts and evils faced by innocent children, sometimes instigated by those in the church. The writer added, “It is easy to praise him if it is not you [hurting]. What about those he doesn’t help?” I was asked how I could honor a God of inaction. I responded and asked others to join me in praying for commenter, but the comments still haunt me. Will you pray today for those in our world who are hurting and cannot sense our Father’s presence? Will you join me in praying that God’s children will be more sensitive to those around us in need a touch of His joy, peace and love and pray that we will truly be His hearts, hands and voice?

Unfocused and Unknown

I spotted this view of our porch while washing breakfast dishes and almost didn't take the photo as the only way to do it without scaring away the birds was though a screen door. As I edited the photo, I overheard Jack talking to a Kenyan friend who wanted to know about snow, how to compare it to something he understand and and how it feels.

As Jack tried to explain, I realized that my unfocused bird photo and Jack's possibly unsuccessful explanation is similar to the confusion faced by many when they first hear of our Good News. They may have never experienced the peace, joy and love we have as God's children or there may be filters in the way that cloud what they are hearing for the first time.
(For more BITS OF OUR HEARTS, visit https://www.facebook.com/bitsofourhearts.)

Overwhelmed and Overwhelmed

SOMETIMES, well actually very often, I allow things to overwhelm me - things like an upcoming meeting of leaders of the IMB Sub-Saharan African Peoples to discuss future strategy and structure. My job as the Prayer Networker for our SSAP affinity is already in transition and like many colleagues I have no clue if my job will exist in the future. Don't get me wrong, I KNOW change is needed and I want to join my colleagues in being in the best position possible to reach and engage all our people groups with the Gospel.

THEN after lunch today I went outside with my camera to grab a bit of fresh air and I was overwhelmed in a new way as I spotted a butterfly hot-spot in our yard! As I enjoyed the beauties (will share lots more tomorrow), I could hear my Heavenly Father almost teasing me and asking, “Bert, do you trust me or what? Look at what I’ve created! I also created you, gave you your gifts and talents and know it is your heart’s desire to use these gifts and talents to join in My Work. Just relax and trust me. I know how I can best use you and I promise you will love it!”
(For more BITS OF OUR HEARTS, visit https://www.facebook.com/bitsofourhearts.) 

What God Writes on My Heart

Yes, I've taken a needed break.  In mid-November we were asked by our mission administrators if we wanted to move nearer to KBTC. Our answer was a hearty YES as we were both more than weary of commuting between our weekend mission home in Nairobi (with a new major road only feet from our bedroom window) and our school-week cottage at the Kenya Baptist Theological College. 

Thus, our youngest child spent her holiday break with us packing rather than visiting the Indian Ocean or game parks (we did make a quick one day trip to the Nairobi Game Park) and we moved 3 weeks ago.  Things are still rather chaotic in our new home (I'm working at a cluttered dining room table at the moment) and there are two electricians making needed repairs as I type, but we are loving our new home.  

View of the city of Nairobi which borders the game park.

Another reason that I needed a break from updating our blog was that I knew it was time for a change in how I shared our stories with you.  To be honest, I'm still in the process of deciding the best way to share, but I've just shared the following as today's post on my FB page.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  - 

This photo captured earlier keeps haunting me - sorry, can't think of a better way to word it. The little boy really struggled to carry the heavy load in the jugs, but he kept plodding along! Will you pray for me as I seek to share our weekly update in a new way that will allow me to more fully share the stories I 'see' with you. Although I share lots on FB, it is difficult for me to share my deepest thoughts, yet I want to you to see and understand the experiences we encounter as missionaries in Africa, the stories which God writes on my heart (Jeremiah 31:33) which become a part of my testimony (1 John 5:10 GNT) of what He is doing and allowing us to view and join Him in doing.

-  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -  -

One of many views of God's special reminder earlier
of His love and care shared on Bits of Our Hearts.

Thus, in the transition time you can keep up with my daily posts sharing mini-stories and our prayer requests/ joys on my personal Facebook page and if you are on FB and we are not friends PLEASE SEND ME A FRIEND REQUEST! I know many of you are not Facebook users, but you can still view what I've already shared and will share by clicking the BITS OF OUR HEARTS tab at the top of this page.  Don't worry, this is a safe site.  

Jack is at KBTC as I write as this is a busy week as a new class began yesterday.  Will you pray for fast and safe arrival of all these new students as well as those from other classes meeting this month? Pray also for those who will be teaching which includes a new IMB worker and two retired IMB workers who have joined the KBTC team!  We are also praising God that the students are now living in the new greatly improved dorm areas of Baraka Hall!

A few of the flowers in our new garden!

The electricians are now working feet away in the kitchen and concentrating is getting more and more difficult! Thanks for your patience as we continue settling and planning how to best continue sharing our journey with you - OUR JOURNEY which you enable us to make thanks to your prayers, giving and sending workers our way!

BERT YATES